29 February, 2016

THE SPIRIT OF EXCELLENCE – Friday March 4th 2016

Memorise: For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to
another the word

of knowledge by the same Spirit. 1st Corinthians
12:8

Read: Daniel 6:1-3, 6 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and
twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;

2 And
over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might
give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.

3 Then
this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an
excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole
realm.

Bible in one year: John 10:22-12:19, Job 31:29-40

One of the gems that made Joshua
took over the mantle of leadership from his master was the excellent spirit he
carried. Joshua excelled in all matters that most of his age mates and
contemporaries. Those who remain in the crowd cannot become excellent in life,
because excellence is a private matter, but with a public pronouncement. The
spirit of excellence will never permit you to do things at a level which others
are comfortable with. You cannot be flocking around the multitude and achieve
greatness in life and ministry. This is why Jesus was always withdrawing His
disciples to Himself at the point of every exploit. He did not want them to be
carried away with the songs of the crowd. He knew the crowd well and he knew
that those who were shouting “hail hail” be the ones to say “crucify Him” the
next day. Excellence is necessary for anyone to become a useful vessel in the
hands of the Almighty God. Excellence is what releases the gem in a man’s life
and makes him the envy of his generation. The spirit of Excellence is a crucial
requirement for being useful and relevant in the scheme of things. It is what
puts you on edge in God’s programme and makes you a formidable force.

Exploits in life have never been
a function of a higher educational qualification or popularity; it is through
the spirit of excellence. When you carry the presence of God, it releases the
spirit of excellence in you which in turn gives you the wisdom to access the
mysteries of life. The presence of God gives you deep insight and wisdom for

every difficult situation of life and makes you become a master over situations
and circumstances through His presence. You cannot have an excellent spirit and
lack understanding. Your level of knowledge will begin to command the attention
of all and sundry as we saw when the Queen of Sheba came visiting King Solomon.

Excellence is a goal, so you have
to strive for it. Excellence is the attainment of the highest level of
perfection in anything you do. It means operating in a class of your own. Those
who do things the way others do them cannot become excellent. You have to be
willing to go the extra mile. You have to identify your goal and begin to
pursue it with vigour. Joseph understood this early and it worked continuously
for him until he becomes a reference point in a strange land. Daniel understood
this early and he focused on it and remained a formidable force in the reign of
three kings. The kings were leaving him behind, but the grace of God upon his
life made him relevant under different circumstances. The spirit of excellence
will help you to concentrate on your assignment until you become a standard.

However, this spirit can only
come from God. If you don’t know God, there is no way you can do exploits
(Daniel 11:32). I pray that from this moment, as you surrender totally to God,
you will begin to experience the miraculous in Jesus’ name.

About Open Heavens

Open Heavens Daily Devotional Guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.Learn More →